Melbourne recruit Daniel Cross gives young Western Bulldog Jackson Macrae a lesson in workrate

THE Western Bulldogs last year decreed favourite son Daniel Cross could no longer be part of their midfield rejuvenation.

Demon Daniel Cross works out of trouble. Picture: Getty

THE Western Bulldogs last year decreed favourite son Daniel Cross could no longer be part of their midfield rejuvenation.

In a tough list management call, coach Brendan McCartney decided priority needed to be awarded to youngsters such as Jack Macrae, Lachie Hunter, Nathan Hrovat and Clay Smith.

But Cross — who was just that at his delisting — showed last night he was still capable of dishing out a lesson to McCartney’s pups, schooling budding star Macrae before crossing paths with best mate Matthew Boyd.

In a countless quality performance, Cross’s 23-disposal match was one Dogs fans would have been well accustomed to and Dees fans are quickly learning to love despite star recruit Stew Crameri burying Melbourne last night with four goals at the MCG.

Cross wasn’t stylish. He wasn’t flashy. But his effort was heart, courage, built on sheer workrate and again blanketed a rival gun, with Macrae copping his first heavy tag in a sign of how highly he is already regarded by premiership coach Paul Roos.

Cross’s first goal as a Demon came in the second quarter as the 31-year-old sprinted forward after an Adam Cooney blunder to mark unopposed and steer through a set-shot.

Every Melbourne player swarmed him, such is the professional workhorse’s popularity, as his trademark shovelling handball, releasing vision and gut running dragged the Dees back in the second term.

Demon Daniel Cross leads Jackson Macrae to the ball. Picture: Getty

Cross, a pillar of consistency across a 218-game career which included six top-three best and fairest finishes at Whitten Oval, had 15 disposals by the main break to give McCartney another headache.

Boyd, with an eye on the crucial Round 8 clash, joked he felt like breaking Cross’s toes with a hammer at a birthday party last week, and when Cross handballs led to Cam Pedersen and Mark Jamar goals last night some Dogs fans might have felt like heading to Boyd’s toolshed.

But it wasn’t a perfect match, with Cross fading and collecting just three final-quarter touches.

The midfield warrior coughed up a controversial sliding free kick to brave and battered Dog Tom Williams who goaled in the third quarter, while his tackle on Macrae in the final term slipped high, leading to Tom Liberatore’s second major.

Liberatore also gave away a sliding free as former coach Grant Thomas tweeted players were now deliberately tripping over players to draw free kicks.

But after a fortnight of statistical domination undone by stage fright, Crameri’s pair of final-quarter goals sunk the Dees as the Dogs laid a record 108 tackles.

Ryan Griffen was uncharacteristically sloppy by foot but combined with Liberatore to lay a mammoth 29 tackles, while Jason Tutt’s holding the ball free on Cross late in the last term sealed victory.

Cross’s Demons front up again next week to face Richmond while the Dogs will enjoy a week off before travelling to face surprise packet Gold Coast.

Originally published as Melbourne recruit Daniel Cross gives young Western Bulldog Jackson Macrae a lesson in workrate